Upright loose-leaf catalogue or file



Dec. 6, 1938. D. RALsToN ET AL 2,133,848

UPRIGHT LOOSE-LEAF CATALOGUE OR FILE Filed Sept. 22, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet2 v m Q/ur/Qy D. @a/S/on Y 2 0/70 @e/fx m, M .Wgw a W 6% v (/ITr gEysPatented Dec. 6, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE UPRIGHT LOOSE-LEAFCATALOGUE R FILE Application September 22', 1937, Serial No. 165,004

28 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in loose-leaf catalogues or filesadapted to maintain a large volume of data ready at hand for quicklylocating and referring to selective items such, for example, ascatalogue numbers, prices and descriptive information necessary inchecking customers orders in mail order houses and the like. Equipmentheretofore available has consisted principally of the well knowntab-files and files embodying racks which support staggered, hang ing orfiat-lying cards. However, for an establishment handling many thousandsof widely diversified items such equipment occupies far too muchvaluable space in proportion to the quan- 18 tity of information thatmay be contained therein, and, moreover, is cumbersome and ineflicientwith respect to clerical production. That is, the volume of checkingwhich may be effected by a clerk working with such equipment is bound by0 definite limits of time and physical effort due to the necessity ofshifting from one limited file to another and the multitude of exertionsincident to manipulating the files. In addition, the initial cost andthe expense involved in keeping the 25 equipment in order as well as thecost of effecting necessary revisions from time to time are financialburdens of no mean proportion.

A general object of the present invention is to overcome the aforesaidand other deficiencies of 30 the prior art by providing a novelinexpensive, highly efficient loose-leaf catalogue or file in which theleaves or pages are supported in upright forwardly projecting cantileverfashion to provide a large capacity, exceptionally compact 35 book-likearrangement making available at convenient arm's reach, and within thedirect line of vision of a person sitting before the same, a huge volumeof selective data such as catalogue numbers, descriptions ofmerchandise, colors, prices, 40 etc.

Another object resides in the provision of a loose-leaf catalogue orfile of this character in which the leaves are supported by groups, eachgroup having common supporting means, and the several groups are mountedin alinement in such a manner that they cooperate to produce whatappears to be a continuous set of leaves, each leaf being swingable intoposition for the inspection of either side from the front of the file.

Another object is to provide an improved supporting rack in which a pairof rows of upright, axially spaced and alined pins or pintles are 55mounted to receive spaced connecting hinges of improved form secured tothe rear edges of the catalogue leaves.

Another object is to provide improved means for guiding the spacedsupporting hinges of the catalogue leaves onto the supporting pintles.5.

Still another object is to provide in such a supporting rack improvedlocking means for avoiding accidental displacement of the leaves fromthe pintles.

Another object is to provide a novel filing leaf 10 construction.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a catalogue file constructed accordingto the invention and mounted upon a Worktable.

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the filing rack.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view partially in section of the rack takensubstantially on line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmental sectional view on a greatly enlarged scaleshowing the construction of one of the hinge-guiding grooves.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional plan view taken substantially along line5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged perspective View of an improved hinge used toconnect the leaves to the rack.

Fig. 7 is a front elevational view of a slightly modified form of file.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the leaves of themodified file.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on line 9--9 of Fig. 6.

While the invention is susceptible of various modifications andalternative constructions, we have shown in the drawings and will hereindescribe in detail, the preferred embodiment, but it is to be understoodthat-we do not thereby intend to limit the invention to the specificform disclosed, but intend to cover all modifications and alternativeconstructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention asexpressed in the appended claims.

For purposes of illustration, a worktable It! is shown supporting aloose-leaf catalogue file constructed according to the present inventionineluding a rack, indicated generally by the numeral II, and a pluralityof replaceable pages or leaves l2 which are supported along their rearedges to project forwardly from the rack cantilever fashion insubstantially vertical planes.

These leaves may comprise suitably dimensioned manila cards upon whichthe essential data is printed or otherwise applied. The file is mountednear the rear edge of the top of the table with the leaves !2 easilyavailable to one hand of a person sitting at the front of the table andwho is writing or otherwise occupying the other hand upon papers lyingin the substantial working space upon the table top in front of thefile.

Generally speaking, the rack l l includes a pair of inverted V-shapeduprights l3 each secured to and forming with an individual base bar M agenerally diagonal end frame. The end frames are connected together inspaced parallel relation by brace bars l5 secured between the rearwardlyinclined legs of the uprights 3, and by spaced upper and lower bars I!and I8, respectively, secured one above the other horizontally acrossthe front faces of the forwardly inclined front legs of the uprights. Tosecure the rack H in place upon the table, screws or the like I!) may bepassed through the base bars M.

The bars IT and I8 are preferably of rectangular cross section and eachis provided near the forward edge of its upper face with a permanentlyanchored longitudinal row of equally spaced upright pins or pintles 20which may be formed of suitable resilient metal such as piano wire andwhich are preferably of uniform predetermined length in each row. Thepintles of each row are substantially axially alined with correspondingpintles of the other row so as to form cooperative pairs or sets forreceiving with a downwardly sliding motion the tubular, sleevelike yokes2! of a pair of spaced hinges 22 (to be hereinafter more fullydescribed) which is affixed to the rear edge of each leaf I 2. Each setof pintles 20 has a capacity of several hinges whereby to provide acommon support for a corresponding group of leaves l2.

As may be seen to best advantage in Fig. 3, the pairs of hinges 22 onthe leaves I 2 of each group while of identical spacing longitudinallyof the leaf edges, are placed in staggered relation to the hinges of theassociated leaves b-y yoke-length degrees so that all of the leaves ineach group will lie with their top edges in a substantially common planeafter the group has been mounted. Moreover, the spacing between :pintlesis calculated to avoid gaps between the groups of leaves and to allow anequal amount of working room for each leaf when the rack is loaded witha full complement of leaves in each group, the loaded rack taking onvery much the appearance of a large open book having relatively stiffpages and supported with its back generally upright.

To facilitate insertion of the hinges 22 upon the pintles 20, thespacingbetween the upper ends of the pintles of the top row and theupper ends of the pintles of the bottom row is somewhat greater thanthespacing between the extreme lower ends of the yokes of the pair ofhinges on each page i 2. As a result, the upper hinge yoke 2! must bepartially inserted before the lower hinge yoke 2| will reach the top endof the lower pintle 20, as shown in Fig. 3. This successive insertionpermits rapid mounting of the leaves by avoiding the necessity ofsimultaneous attention to both hinges in guiding the hinge yokes 2! intoplace.

Desirably, the upper faces of the bars I! and i8 are also spacedslightly farther apart than the lower ends of the hinge yokes 2i wherebythe upper hinges of the leaves 12 support the principal weight of theleaves; and the lower hinges will be relieved of weight axially of theyokes 2| and serve principally to maintain the relative position of thelower portions of the leaves. In this manner friction is reduced andpossible slight inaccuracy in placement of the hinges upon a leaf willnot cause buckling or jamming of the leaf after the same is in place.

Mounting of the catalogue leaves I2 is also aided by the provision ofmeans for guiding the hinge yokes 25 onto the upper ends of the pintles20. To this end a similarly constructed horizontal guide bar 23 ismounted in coacting relation behind the upper end portions of each rowof pintles, the upper bar 23 in the present instance being carried byupright supporting straps 2 extending above the topsof the end frameupright I3. In the front face of each bar 23 is a series of parallelVertical grooves 25, semi-cylindrical in shape and of a diameter toreceive the hinge yokes 2| therein. The bars 23 are so located that theupper ends of the pintles 2E1 engage only in the lower portions of thegrooves 25, and each groove has in such lower portion a short annularconstriction 2'! against which bears the end portion of the associatedpintle (Fig. 4). This constriction 21 is so located that the extreme endof the pintle projects thereabove, and it provides a sufficientreduction in the groove diameter to permit insertion of the wall of thehinge yoke 2| between the end of the pintle and the wall of the groove.At each side of the constriction 21 is a sloping approach 28.

In placing one of the hinges 22 upon any selected one of the pintles 20,the hinge yoke 2! is inserted into and held in the groove 25 above theend of the pintle and is then moved axially downwardly to carry the edgeof the yoke into surrounding relation to the pintle, the pintle yieldingas the yoke passes the constriction 21 and snapping back thereafter. Inremoving the hinge, the action just described is reversed. It will beapparent that through this arrangement very little attention and skillare required in mounting the leaves I2 upon the rack and the rack can beloaded with great speed.

Accidental removal of the leaves 12 from the rack is avoided by lockingmeans associated with the lower guide bar 23, in the present instancecomprising an elongated locking bar 29 which is mounted slidably uponthe upper flat face of said guide bar for movement into obstructingrelation to the upper ends of the guide grooves 25 therein (Fig. 5). Toconnect the locking bar 29 in operative position, it is provided on itsback face near each opposite end with a quadrangular, longitudinallyelongated retaining and guiding frame 30 which is internally dimensionedto fit about the front leg of the respective adjacent end frame upright13 of the rack and permit longitudinal movement of the bar a distanceequal to the width of said leg. Suchlongitudinal movement in onedirection (to the left as shown in Fig. 5) is effective to move the barinto locking position, a stationary cam 3| on the forward wall of theframe 30 engaging the leg of the support l3 and shifting the barforwardly into obstructing relation to the tops of the grooves 25 as anincident to such movement whereby to prevent the lower hinges 22 of theleaves 22 from being accidentally dislodged. To shift the bar out oflocking position it is merely necessary to move the same in the oppositelongitudinal direction and push the same backwardly away from thegrooves 25.

Because of the rearwardly inclined axes of the tudinal strip 35 toreceive the hinges 22.

pintles 20, the leaves l2 have a tendency to swing gravitationally toeither side of a true vertical plane, thus simplifying manipulation ofthe leaves when searching for data contained in the file. The extent towhich the leaves may swing to either side is preferably limited torelieve the strain thereon which is incident to their rubbing together,the pintle bars. I! and 8 being provided at their extremities withextensions 32 which project diagonally forwardly and serve as rests forengaging the outermost of the end groups of leaves.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Figs. '7 to 9, inclusive,the file is provided with leaves 33 which are fashioned as expansiblepockets for receiving loosely inserted matter, suchas cards or pages ofdata. It will be apparent that a file thus equipped will have a largecapacity for printed or written data and will be of advantage .in thatit will not be necessary to remove the leaves when it is desired tochange or replace the contents.

Upon reference to Fig. 8 it will be observed that the pocket leaves 33are constructed to expand bellows fashion and may be formed of two papersheets connected in face-to-face relation or of a single paper sheetfolded double, providing sides 33 and 33 The two sides of the pocketleaf are secured together along the lower and rear edges, the lowermargins thereof being creased a short distance inwardly and parallel tothe edge as indicated at 34 to facilitate expansion, and the rearmargins being secured permanently together to form a narrow,inexpansible, longi- The upper and front edges of the sides 33 and 33'are open and the front edges have staggered outwardly projecting tabs36, one on each side of the leaf. Said tabs serve not only as indicesbut also as convenient finger engageable means by which the pocket maybe caused to gape for receiving matter to be filed. Below the tabs thefront margins of the sides are cut away as indicated at 3? to expose theforward margins of supported cards or papers so that the same may beconveniently grasped for withdrawal.

The hinges 22 which are used to connect the catalogue leaves i2 and 33to the filing rack H are of a novel construction and may be produced iand applied inexpensively from thin sheet metal strips. As shown in Fig.6 the improved hinge comprises a pair of elongated generally fiat legs"38 extending from the yoke 2| which are preferably no wider than thelength of said yoke to avoid overlapping with the hinges of immediatelyadjacent pages mounted upon the same pintle 20. The legs 38 are adaptedto extend inwardly along and lie fiatwise against opposite sides of theleaf margin to clamp the same therebetween, the yoke lying with its axisparallel to the edge of the leaf and serving to hold the outer ends ofthe legs together. The opposite or inner ends of the legs are heldtogether by a prong 39 which projects from one of the legs through theleaf margin broadside to the leaf edge and into an aperturein theopposite leg. Although the hinge legs 33 engage only a relatively smallarea of the leaf margin the prong 39 is located far enough inwardly toavoid tearing out of the engaged portion of the margin when the leaf issubjected to unusual strains. The end of the prong is bent over againstthe apertured leg to secure the hinge against removal.

To secure the hinge against pivotal movement about the prong 4i and thusavoid movement of the yoke 2| longitudinally of the associated edge ofthe leaf, means such as a plurality of elongated parallel indentationsor crimps 4| is formed longitudinally of one of the hinge legs 38adjacent to the yoke 2| and adapted when the hinge is attached to theleaf to penetrate the extreme marginal edge thereof (Fig. 9). Asa resultthe hinge will hold fast against cantilever force imposed axially of theyoke 2| incident to inserting the hinge upon one of the supportingpintles' 25 as when moving against the approach 28 in the guide groove25 and also against ordinary strains imposed during use of the leaf.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the present inventionprovides an ingenious loose-leaf catalogue o: file in which an enormousmass of data, far in excess of prior devices, can be made availablewithin easy arms' reach of a person sitting before the same. It may bementioned, by way of example, that one use for which this file has: beenfound eminently suited in practice is in checking customers ordersagainst mail order catalogue listings of a complete line of generalmerchandise. A single'such catalogue may contain approximatelyforty-eight thousand listings, and with prior filing equipment it waswholly impractical for a single clerk to check against the completelistings. With the present file, however, not only every item of acomplete current general catalogue but also every item of an immediatelypreceding catalogue, as well as the additional listings of occasionalsupplementary catalogues, flyer bulletins, etc., which may total overone hundred thousand separate items, can be made instantly available atthe finger tips of one hand of the pricing clerk leaving the other handof the clerk free to be otherwise occupied. For this purpose the rackmay be equipped with from one hundred to two hundred p'intles to a row,every alined set of pintles supporting six card leaves approximate-- lyten by fourteen inches in size. By varying the size and capacity of thecatalogue or leaves various other and similar purposes may beefficiently accommodated, the apparatus being quite adaptable in thisrespect.

Other outstanding advantages of the invention reside in the. simple andeasy manner in which the leavesmay be loaded and unloaded; the lookingof the leaves against accidental dislodgrnent; and the simple sturdyconstruction which permits the invention to be manufactured at low costand which assures continuous, unusual dependability in use.

A method of and means for mak ng and applying the hinges to thecatalogue or file leaves is set forth in our copending applicationSerial No. 198,978, filed March 30, 1938.

The copending application of one of the joint applicants herein, OttoFelix, Serial No. 23,540, filed May 27, 1935, is directed broadly to thetype of hinge disclosed herein.

We claim as our invention:

1. In combination with a worktable of substa tial depth, an uprightloose-leaf catalogue or file having a plurality of spaced uprightpintles arranged in uniform order and supporting in forwardly projectingcantilever fashion a mass of individual leaves swingab-le about the axesof the respective pintlesin the manner of the pages of'a book, said filebeing mounted back from the front edge of said table so that an ampleworking area will be had in front of the file within which one hand of aperson sitting up to the front of the table may be occupied upon loosepapers or the like While the other hand is used to work the leaves, andmeans for securing the file fixedly in position with respect to thetable.

2. In combination in a loose-leaf catalogue or file, a generally uprightrack having a pair of horizontal bars in spaced relation one above theother, a row of upstanding pintles carried by each of said bars, thepintles of each row being indi vidually generally alined with thecorresponding pintles of the other row, and leaves having spaced hingesalong their rear edges for pivotally engaging said pintles to supportthe leaves in forwardly projecting cantilever fashion.

3. In combination in a loose-leaf catalogue or file, a plurality ofleaves arranged in face-to-face book-like fashion, individual hingesattached to the same edges of all the said leaves, means for supportingsaid leaves in upright forwardly projecting cantilever fashion to makethe pages available within convenient arms reach and in the direct lineof vision of a person located in a position before the same, said meansincluding a plurality of members each of which is adapted to coact withand provide common support for the hinges of a small group of saidplurality of leaves in a manner to give the effect of a continuous setof leaves and permit each leaf to be swung in a generally horizontalplane for inspection of either side thereof by the person located infront of the file, and means at the opposite ends of the booklike set ofleaves for holding said leaves generally forwardly within convenientrange for manipulation but permitting sufficient clearance to swingselected leaves apart for inspection as aforesaid.

4. In a loose-leaf catalogue file of the character described, incombination, a plurality of catalogue leaves forming a group to bemounted together, each of said leaves having spaced upper and lowerhinges along the rear edge thereof, said hinges being placed upon eachof said leaves in staggered relation with respect to the hinges of theother leaves of the group to avoid overlapping when the leaves are inmarginally alined face-to-face relation and having annular connectingsleeves adapted to coact in endwise bearing engagement with the sleevesof adjacent hinges, and a generally upright supporting structure for thegroup of leaves including a pair of axially spaced and alined elongatedupright pintles for respectively receiving all of the sleeves of theupper and lower hinges of the entire group of leaves.

5. A loose-leaf catalogue file comprising, in combination, a generallyupright frame, spaced generally horizontal upper and lower bars mountedupon said frame and each having anchored thereto a longitudinal seriesof upright pintles, each pintle of each series being substantiallyaxially alined with a pintle of the other series, and a plurality ofhinged catalogue leaves removably supported in substantially verticalplanes for horizontal swinging movement by each pair of alined pintles.

6. A loose-leaf catalogue file of the character described comprising, incombination a generally upright frame, a pair of horizontal bars mountedin spaced relation one above the other along the front of said frame, aseries of elongated upright pintles upon the upper face of each bar,each pintle of each series being axially alined with a correspondingpintle of the other series, a group of hinged catalogue leaves supportedin forwardly projecting upright cantilever fashion by each pair ofalined pintles to be manipulated in the manner of the pages of a book,and end rests projecting diagonally forwardly from the ends of said barsfor engaging the outer leaves of the end groups to hold the leaves ingenerally forwardly projecting relation.

7. A loose-leaf catalogue or file construction of the characterdescribed comprising, in combination, a. rack including spaced endsupports having base means for securing the same upon a worktable, apair of spaced horizontal bars mounted one above the other upon saidsupports ina rearwardly inclined plane, each of said bars having aplurality of upstanding rearwardly inclined pintles substantiallyaxially alined with the respective pintles of the other bar, a pluralityof removable leaves supported by said pintles in forwardly projectingrelation to said rack, the inclination of said pintles tending to effectan overbalance of said leaves to either side of respective verticalplanes through said pintles, and means at the opposite ends of said barsfor engaging the endmost leaves to hold all of said leaves in generallyforwardly projecting relation.

8. A loose-leaf catalogue or file of the character described comprising,in combination, a supporting structure, and a pair of axially spaced andsubstantially coaxial pintles carried by said structure and projectingin the same direction to receive thereon the axially spaced connectingsleeves of a pair of hinges connected to a catalogue leaf, the spacingbetween the receiving ends of said pintles being somewhat greater thanthe spacing between the approaching ends of the hinge sleeves so as topermit partial insertion of one sleeve upon the outermost pintle beforethe remaining sleeve reaches its pintle.

9. In combination in a loose-leaf catalogue or file of the characterdescribed, upright supporting means, a pair of spaced horizontal barsmounted one above the other upon said supporting means, an upstandinglongitudinal row of pintles anchored to the upper face of each of saidbars, the upper ends of the lower row of pintles being spaced below theupper bar and standing in substantial alinement with correspondingpintles of the upper row so as to receive the respective upper and lowercoaxial connecting sleeves of the spaced hinges of catalogue leaves tobe supported thereby, the spacing between the upper ends of the pintlesof the top row and the upper ends of the pintles of the bottom row beingsomewhat greater than the spacing between the extreme lower ends of thehinge sleeves whereby the upper sleeve will be partially inserted uponthe upper of said pintles before the lower sleeve reaches the lower ofsaid pintles.

10. In a file of the character described, a supporting structure, a leafhaving a pair of substantially spaced hinges connected to one edgethereof, said hinges having coaxial sleeves substantially parallel withsaid edge of said leaf, and a pair of pintles carried by said structurein substantially axial alinement and pointing in the same direction, thespacing between said pintles being such that one of said hinges can beinitially applied to the outermost pintle followed by application of theother of said hinges incidental to axial movement of said hinges towardthe points of said respective pintles.

11. In combination in a loose-leaf catalogue I by the uppermost hingewill rest upon and. the principal weight of the leaf will be carriedthrough such hinge by the uppermost of said supporting means.

12. In combination in a loose-leaf catalogue or file of the characterdescribed, a leaf having a connecting hinge including a sleeve, leafsupporting means including a pintle for receiving said sleeve, and meansassociated with the free end of said pintle and defining a groove forreceiving and guiding said sleeve onto said pintle as an incident tomovement of said sleeve longitudinally therein toward said pintle end.

13. In a catalogue or file construction of the character described, incombination, a flexible pintle mounted to receive the connecting sleeveof a leaf hinge, means associated with a portion of the free end of saidpintle for guiding the sleeve into place thereon, said means including agroove of a diameter to receive the hinge sleeve substantially coaxiallytherein and of a length to cradle said pintle end portion in a limitedend section thereof and extend substantially beyond the extremity ofsaid pintle, and a narrow constriction in said end section of saidgroove to hold said pintle end portion away from the wall of said groovea sufiicient distance to permit passage of the sleeve into encirclingrelation to said pintle between said wall and said pintle end portion,the flexibility of said pintle enabling the same to yield and permitmovement of the encircling sleeve past said constriction.

14. A loose-leaf catalogue or file comprising, in combination, a rackincluding a bar having a row of spaced pintles projecting therefrom forreceiving the connecting sleeves of catalogue leaf hinges to besupported by said rack, and a guide bar mounted in coacting relationwith the extremities of said pintles and having a series of parallelgrooves coinciding with said pintles for properly locating the hingesleeves for reception by said pintles upon relative axial movementtherebetween.

15. A loose-leaf catalogue or file comprising, in combination, a rackincluding a bar having a row of spaced pintles projecting therefrom forreceiving the connecting sleeves of catalogue leaf hinges to besupported by said rack, a guide bar mounted in coacting relation withthe extremities of said pintles and having a series of parallel groovescoinciding with said pintles for properly locating the hinge sleeves forreception by said pintles upon relative axial movement therebetween, anda locking bar movably mounted upon said guide bar and adapted to beshifted into obstructing relation to said grooves to prevent the hingesleeves from becoming accidentally dislodged.

16. In a loose-leaf catalogue or file of the character described, incombination, a plurality of leaves having a pair of spaced hinges alongone margin thereof, a rack having means thereon including two rows ofupstanding axially spaced and alined pintles to receive the respectivehinges of said leaves and support the latter in upright planesprojecting forwardly cantilever fashion, means associated with the lowerrow of pintles for guiding the lower hinges of said leaves onto suchpintles, and selectively operable means for preventing accidentalremoval of said hinges past said guiding means.

17. A loose-leaf catalogue or file construction of the characterdescribed comprising, in combination, a catalogue leaf, a hinge securedto one margin of said leaf and having a pair of flattened elongated legsextending longitudinally inwardly in clamping relation on opposite sidesof said leaf, a prong on one of said legs penetrating said leaf and bentover against the other leg to hold the inner ends of said legs fast uponthe leaf, a sleeve-like yoke lying parallel with the edge of the leafand connecting and holding the outer ends of said legs in clampingrelation against said leaf, a supporting rack for said leaf including apintle for receiving said yoke pivotally, means for'receiving andguiding said yoke onto said pintle, and means projecting from one ofsaid legs into the extreme edge of the leaf margin adjacent to said yokeand supplementing said prong for holding said hinge against displacementrelative to said leaf as a result of strains imposed thereon in saidguiding means.

18. In a sheet metal hinge structure for a loose-leaf catalogue or fileof the character described, a pair of flattened legs to grip the marginof a leaf therebetween, means for securing the inner ends of said legstogether, a yoke connecting the outer ends of said legs together ingrip- 'ping relation, and a plurality of elongated indentations in oneof said legs adjacent to the yoke extending at an angle from the yokeand projecting toward the opposite leg to penetrate the margin of theassociated leaf.

19. In a loose-leaf catalogue or file, in combination, a largerectangularly shaped leaf, a pair of hinges secured permanently andfixedly in spaced relation to a narrow marginal strip of said leaf andhaving coaxial sleeves parallel with the edge of said margin, andsupporting means for said leaf including a pair of substantially axiallyspaced and substantially alined upright pintles for receiving saidsleeves to hold the leaf in upright forwardly projecting cantileverfashion to swing about the axis of said pintles.

20. In a file of the character described, a leaf adapted to be supportedin a vertical plane for pivotal movement about an axis parallel with therear edge thereof, said leaf comprising a pair of fiat sides connectedtogether along the bottom and rear edges thereof and expansible bellowsfashion to receive material to be filed therebetween, a relativelynarrow'inexpansible marginal strip extending longitudinally along saidrear edges, a pair of spaced hinges secured fixedly and permanently tosaid strip and having coaxial connecting sleeves parallel with the edgeof the strip for engaging supporting pintles, and means to facilitatemanual separation of said sides in expanding the same.

21. In a loose-leaf catalogue or file construction, in combination, asupporting struture, pintles mounted upon said structure, and meansassociated with the free extremities of said pintles for receiving theconnecting sleeves of the hinges of leaves to be supported by saidpintles to guide the sleeves onto the pintles.

22. A loose-leaf structure comprising, in combination, supporting means,a rigid member supported by said means and having an alined row ofspaced pintles projecting therefrom, and means also supported by saidsupporting means in rigid spaced relation to said member and coactingwith the extremities of said pintles to receive and to guide the sleevesof loose-leaf hinges substantially coaXially onto the respectivepintles.

23. In a loose-leaf structure, in combination, supporting means, pintlesmounted upon said supporting means, means associated with the freeextremities of said pintles for receiving the connecting sleeves ofloose-leaf hinges to guide the sleeves onto the pintles, and means forrestraining movement of the connecting sleeves of the hinges past saidguiding means after the sleeves have been received upon the respectivepintles.

24. A loose-leaf catalogue or file of the character describedcomprising, in combination, a supporting structure, a pair of axiallyspaced and substantially coaxial pintles carried by said structure andprojecting in the same direction to receive thereon the axially spacedconnecting sleeves of a pair of hinges secured to a catalogue leaf, thespacing between the receiving ends of said pintles being somewhatgreater than the spacing between the approaching ends of the hingesleeves so as to permit partial insertion of one sleeve upon theoutermost pintle before the remaining sleeve reaches its pintle, andmeans associated with the free extremity of at least the innermostpintle to receive said remaining sleeve for guiding the same onto thispintle.

25. In combination in a loose-leaf structure of the character described,supporting means including a pintle projecting therefrom, a leaf to besupported by the structure, a hinge upon said leaf including a sleeve toengage said pintle, means associated with the extremity of said pintleto receive and guide said sleeve onto said pintle, and means forconnecting the hinge to said leaf in a manner to hold the hingesubstantially against displacement relative to the leaf in spite ofstrains that may be imposed upon the hinge in said guiding means as anincident to mounting the leaf.

26. In a hinge structure for a loose-leaf catalogue or file of thecharacter described, an elongated strip of hinge material doubled uponitself to provide a pair of opposed legs, the yoke portion of the stripwhich joins said legs being of annular sleeve-like form to receive anupright pintle, one of said legs having an aperture near its free end,the other leg having a struck out prong to pass through the margin of acatalogue leaf and into said aperture to secure the hinge permanently inplace upon such margin with the edge of the margin located adjacent tothe periphery of and parallel to the axis of the yoke portion, and aplurality of elongated indentations in one of the legs located withtheir ends close to the periphery of the yoke portion and extendingangularly therefrom, said indentations projecting toward the oppositeleg so that when the legs are in gripping engagement with the leafmargin said indentations will bite into the edge portion of the marginto hold the hinge against displacement longitudinally of said edge inspite of axial pressure upon said yoke.

27. In combination with a worktable of substantial depth, an uprightloose-leaf catalogue or file rack having a plurality of spaced uprightpintles arranged in uniform order and supporting removably -in forwardlyprojecting cantilever fashion a mass of individual leaves swingableabout the axes of the respective pintles in the manner of the pages of abook, said rack being mounted back from the front edge of said table sothat the forward edges of the leaves will be within convenient armsreach of a person sitting up to the front of said table for working theleaves and so that an ample working area will be free in front of therack within which one hand of the person may be occupied upon loosepapers or the like while the other hand is used to work the leaves, andrests for holding the end leaves of the mass of leaves in a generallyforward direction to limit sidewise swinging of all of the leaves withina fixed range but permitting sufiioient separation between any twoleaves to examine the opposed faces thereof conveniently.

28. An upright catalogue or file of the character described comprising,in combination, a plurality of groups of leaves, a leaf-supporting rackstructure adapted to be mounted upon a work table or the like andincluding means adapted for supporting each group of leaves as a unit ingenerally upright forwardly projecting relation at the front of the rackstructure, and means for removably connecting said groups of leaves totheir respective supporting means in general alinement to produce amultiple-group set of leaves, said connecting means being so constructedthat any leaf of the set can be swung substantially like the leaf of abook into position for the inspection of either side from the front ofthe rack.

HURLEY D. RALSTON. OTTO FELIX.

